Teardrops On My Guitar
by midnightfarie
Summary: Ann has always been in love with Tyler, but by the time she gets the courage to tell him, it might already be to late.
1. Chapter 1

**This is a song inspired story, it's roughly based off of the lyrics from the song "Teardrops On My Guitar" by Taylor Swift. I hope you like!**

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My name's Ann, you probably don't know me, no one does, no one but Tyler that is. Tyler Sims is one of the most popular guys at Spencer Academy, along with his three friends Reid Garwin, Pogue Parry, and Caleb Danvers, but if you live in Ipswich, Massachusetts you already know that. I've gone to school with the Sons of Ipswich all my life, but I was always unpopular enough to go unnoticed by the said "in crowd." It wasn't until we all started high school that Tyler ever really spoke to me. Not that he ignored me; it was just that no one noticed me. I was basically invisible. It was a gift and a curse, not meaning to sound like Spiderman, but it really was.

I was fairly happy with my lot in life, and what I wasn't happy with I just tried not to think about. Then Tyler, probably pitying me, started talking to me mid freshmen year. We started as casual acquaintances, but by the start of our senior year we had become pretty good friends, not that he flaunted this fact, I was a charity case, and not even a guy like Tyler would want to publicly associate with me. This would be the reason why I was surprised that he turned up at my locker right after lunch a couple of days after the September fest.

"Ann!" He said happily, he was the happiest I had seen him in months, like some giant weight had been lifted from his chest.

"Hey Ty, what's up?" I leaned against my locker, looking up into Tyler's beautiful blue eyes, my heart fluttering pathetically. Oh, did I mention I've been in love with him for like, ever? Pathetic, much?

"Are you coming to my swim meet today?" He asked I crinkled my nose in disgust.

"You mean as in socializing?" I whispered sardonically. He laughed, I love his laugh, it's really deep and rich, comforting, you know?

"I mean as in socializing, come on, one meet won't kill you." He assured.

"I wouldn't be too sure about that." I joked.

"Please?" He begged, in a manly way of course.

"I'll think about it." I said noncommittally. "Why this one?"

"I met someone!" he said and my stomach ached in despair. "I want to tell you all about her."

I forced a smile, it was so fake that I was sure Tyler would notice, but he didn't, oblivious in his own happiness. I leaned onto the locker even more heavily, loosing my will to stand. After a minute I forced myself to speak.

"I can't wait to hear all about her." I lied through my teeth. Tyler smiled widely and put a hand behind my neck, pressing his lips to my forehead. My skin grew hot where his lips touched it.

"Great, I'll see you later." Tyler said and practically skipped away. I stood smiling like an idiot until I was sure he was gone, and then I slide down the locker, and sat on the floor staring at my feet, hot tears filling my eyes. I knew other girls liked him, but Tyler had never told me he had feelings for anyone, so I pretended that I still had a chance. Now I knew I didn't.

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**AN: Please Review!**

**This is my first attempt at a story from the first person perspective.**

**Midnightfarie**


	2. Chapter 2

**Sorry it took to long to update! Hope this makes it up!**

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I sat in the bleachers, watching the man I loved who would never love me back, swimming. I cheered him on with all my might. Tyler won! I screamed louder than ever as he pushed himself out of the pool.

"Go Tyler!" Someone else yelled, even louder then me, if that's possible.

I whirled around, but couldn't pick her out of the multitude. Tyler stood up, smiling into the crowd and waving. My stomach plummeted, because I knew he wasn't smiling for me.

Tyler walked into the men's locker room and the crowd slowly got to their feet and made their way from the pools. I found myself being slowly shuffled along with everyone else, but I didn't care, my stomach ached. She had been there, too, cheering for him, but even though I had been cheering my heart out for Tyler, it was her cheer that made him smile. Not mine.

About a half an hour later Tyler met up with me out side of the school, he gave me a huge hug and my breath caught in my chest. Sometimes I wonder how it is that he doesn't see how much I love him. I mean do I have to spell it out?

"You hungry?" He asked, leaving his arm draped around my shoulders.

"Yeah, sure, you?" I was too entranced by the weight of his arm around my neck to come up with anything else to say. I seriously do not get why a guy like Tyler Sims hangs out with a total loser like me Ann Reynolds. Oh, yeah, because I'm the only one who will listen to him gush on and on about some amazing girl he met. Lucky me.

"Yeah, food sounds great." Tyler agreed, and we walked to his Hummer, his pride and joy. He opened the passenger door for me, like the gentleman he is, then he ran around and jumped into the drivers seat.

"How about Nicky's?" He asked I looked at him like he was crazy. "If you don't want to, that's fine."

"No, no, it's fine." I assured him, he had never invited me to go to Nicky's with him before. I just assumed it was his way to avoid having people see us together in public as much as possible, because his friends, Reid, Caleb and Pogue are always there, and why on earth would he want to advertise to them that he sometimes hangs out with a loser like me.

As Tyler and me walked from the Hummer to Nicky's, he started up on his subject. The girl he wants to be his girlfriend. I just have on thing to say, I hate her.

"Her names Kelly." He informed me. "She's in my English class, she's kind of a geek, but she's really cute. She lost her book, so I shared mine this her, and we started to talk, and I think we really clicked. I'll see her in class again tomorrow; I think that's when I'll make a move. Don't want to wait to long you know, or else, she might put me into the friend category."

"Yeah," I agreed, and then muttered to myself, "I don't have any idea what that could be like!"

"What was that?" Tyler asked, looking at me. I just smiled.

"I said we should get onion rings." I said hurriedly to fix my mess up.

"Oh, yeah, definitely." Tyler agreed. I crossed my arms grumpily; I'm such a doormat.

"So, what does she look like?" I asked. It's pretty bad when I'm willing to listen to him go on and on about some other girl, just to hear him speak. I guess I'm just a sucker for punishment.

"Oh, she's really hot. A little shorter than you, brown hair, long, and green eyes."

"Wow, she sounds pretty." I whispered, crushed. Let me explain why that is. From his description of this Kelly girl, my lack of a chance became even more evident, because I have short blond hair and blue eyes; I guess that explains why Tyler never liked me like that. He has a type, and I am not it.

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**AN: Please Review **

**Midnightfarie**


	3. Chapter 3

**Sorry I've been taking so long to post, school has been insane. Enough with the excuses, and on with the story!**

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The next day after Tyler's English class, before lunch, he came up behind me and pulled me into an empty classroom. His cheeks were flushed bright red in excitement. He looked like a little boy who had just been given a shiny quarter for a job well done. He then proceeded to tell me his story.

"She gave me her number! I'm totally going to call her tonight. She's so amazing! And completely gorgeous! She nice too, you'd really like her. You should really meet her." Tyler told me in a giddy manner, and I mean giddy, like a schoolgirl! The smile I gave him right then was so fake I am pretty sure it was made out of plaster.

"Wow, she sound---"

"Great, I know," Tyler said in a distant way, patting me on the back. "I'm glad I have you to talk to Ann, you're like a guy who knows girls."

Talk about a punch to the gut! I mean, how are you suppose to respond to something like that 'um, thanks?' I don't think so. So I did the best I could.

"That's me, your own personal ladies lady!" I know, lame, but can you really blame me? I mean 'you're like a guy who knows girls'? Who says that?!? Obviously he does! And what about me! Pathetic, much? I mean it's pretty bad when deep down I'm squealing like a cheerleader because he just said he's glad he has me to talk to. Does it really get much worse?

"You're so great, Ann." Tyler said, flashing me one of his heart wrenching smiles and leaving me all alone, feeling like a fool.

It's a fact; there is only one thing more pathetic than being in love with a guy who doesn't know it, and that's being in love with a guy who doesn't know it and who thinks of you as just another one of the guys. So in other words, I am officially terminally pathetic. Period.

"Am I invisible?" I yelled at the empty classroom, releasing my frustration. I let out a sigh of exasperation.

"Not last I checked." Replied a male voice, great, I thought, not only am I terminally pathetic, now I'm hearing voices. But no, it couldn't be something that unproblematic, not on my life. Instead a guy appeared in the shadows, and, of course, it was none other than Reid Garwin, in all his wannabe emo/punk glory. He half grinned as his eyes scanned me up and down, his blond hair hanging in his eyes in a way that drove some girls crazy, oh how I wish I was one of those girls, much less pathetic than the real me. "No, I'd say you're far from invisible." He whispered.

"How long have you been here?" I asked, really not looking forward to the answer.

"Long enough," He answered in a goading manner.

"That helps a hell of a lot," I snapped, I was really not in the mood for his crap, "long enough for what?"

Reid walked over to me, getting a little to close for comfort, he reached out to brush my hair from my face, but, instinctively I stepped back. This made him chuckle softly. Great, now even the wannabe womanizer sees how pathetic I am!

"I'm not gonna hurt you." He murmured. "I promise I won't do anything you don't want me to, in fact I'm pretty sure you'll beg." He flashed me a seductive smile; it was all I could do to keep from rolling my eyes.

"You didn't answer my question." I responded in as little contempt as possible.

"Alright, I was here long enough to realize that you are more than a little in love with my best friend." Reid gave me an odd look, "What do you see in him any way?" He asked, taking a step closer, I backed away, bumping into the wall. "I guaranty you, if you give me a try you'll never think about Ty again. I'm much more… _impressive_."

"Sorry," I said firmly, pushing him away, "I'm not interested in a quickie."

Reid grinned as he stepped back to give me my space.

"Baby, I'll promise you one thing, it won't be a quickie with you. You'd better believe that you and me, we'd go all night." Reid bit his bottom lip in a way that, I have to admit, was pretty darn sexy. But, no, as cliché as it may sound, I'm saving myself for Mr. Right, a.k.a. Tyler Sims. (Sniffs pitifully) even thought said Mr. Right is to dam thick to figure it out.

So, forming the most hostile look I could manage, I glared into his eyes, which, okay, I'll admit, are about as sexy as that whole lip biting thing, but still, we are talking about Reid Garwin. He's got about as much tact as, well. I can't think of anything as tactless as him, so I think just the fact that it's Reid Garwin I'm talking about, should be enough. So, given this fact, I came up with what I felt was a fairly snappy comeback.

"And you'd better believe there's no you and me." I said coldly, marching towards the door.

"Dam, girl," Reid called after me, I paused for a moment, so sue me, I was curious as to what he was going to say, "you're too sexy for your own good."

And okay, I know I was asking for it, but really, my self-esteem had taken a real beating already, was it so horrible that I wanted a compliment?

"What do you mean?"

"You give me warm fuzzy feelings in _all _the wrong places." He said with a grin. As you can probably imagine, I was pretty much horrified, and I strongly expressed this fact with a look of disgust.

"Can you say too much information?" I asked.

"Yeah, but there are so many better things I can think of that we could do in the time it would take for me to say it." Reid said in his flirtatious manner.

"I'm not even going to ask." I said in revulsion.

"Are you sure? I could give you a list!" Reid offered jokingly.

"I'll survive." I told him, despite myself, I halfway smiled. Big mistake.

"I'm sure you will. But, why just survive when you can have so much more." He asked, somehow, he had managed to end up right in front of me again. Once again, he reached out to brush my hair from my face, except this time, I didn't pull away, another big mistake. Suddenly instead of just brushing my hair from my face, there was some full-fledged kissing going on. Uninitiated, but fully reciprocated by one extremely ashamed me. I did, kind of push him away, but that didn't help matters. Reid lost his balance, and fell onto his back.

So, I found myself in an extremely embarrassing position, laying on top of him, Reid Garwin, of all people, luckily there was no one around to witness this incident, but then again, this is my luck we're talking about.

"Uh-hum"

**To Be Continued**

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** AN: So, what do you think?**

**Please Review!**

**Midnightfarie **


	4. Chapter 4

"Uh-hum," Tyler cleared his throat. Upon seeing the love of my life, seeing this sight, I tried to jump to my feet; unfortunately, I found out, too late, that one of Reid's biker gloves was severely tangled in my hair.

"Oooo. Ow ow ow ow." I yelped pathetically, a laughing Reid really wasn't helping me much, knight in shining armor, my foot. Luckily, and unluckily for me, Tyler came to my rescue. "This is so, not what it looks like." I told as he untangled my hair.

"Looks to me like you're screwing my best friend," Tyler said harshly, "not that I care."

Just then, Tyler pulled my hair unnecessarily hard.

"Ow," I yelped, glaring reproachfully at him, Reid was still trying to contain his laughter, definitely not helping matters. "I'm not screwing Reid. God Tyler! Who do you think I am, besides, even if I were sleeping with him, it's definitely none of _your_ business."

This seemed to fluster Tyler, because he gapped open mouthed and turned red.

"She does have a point, Ty." Reid said unnecessarily. I turned my head as much as I could and shot him a nasty look. "What?" Reid asked in feigned innocence. My glare deepened.

"I don't care!" Tyler insisted, a little too hurriedly, if you ask me, but as you've probably realized by now, I'm terminally hopeful in my depressing life of unrequited love, a.k.a., I was probably imagining it.

"It's not like you haven't had three years of opportunity." Reid pointed out.

"Shut up, Reid!" Me and Tyler said at the same time, but in a rush of courage I did something very un-Ann Reynolds.

"Wait, he's right, Ty. If you didn't want me with any one else, you've had the past three years to do something about it. I've been madly in love with for the past, well, as long as I've known you, and when I finally try to move on is when you have a problem."

Tyler opened and closed his mouth several times, unable to make words.

"So, I'm finally saying it, Ty. I'm in love with you, and it's all or nothing. I can't just be your friend, and I really can't listen to you talk about other girls. If I have a chance, if we have a chance, tell me know, or I'm gone." I held my breath, nervously.

"Ann, I… I don't know what to say. I don't want to hurt you, but I've only ever thought of you as a friend." Tyler said softly.

I inhaled sharply, my eyes burning.

"Okay. I should really go." I whispered, getting up and heading for the door.

"Ann." Tyler called. "I love you; you're the best friend I've ever had."

"Hey." Reid said indignantly.

"I love you too, Tyler, but in a very different way, and 'just friends' isn't enough for me." I whispered, leaving the room, I could hear him behind me, calling me.

"Ann, Ann! Don't do this!" He shouted.

"Dude, shut up, she needs space." I heard Reid tell him.

"Don't tell me what to do." Tyler yelled.

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**AN: Thank you all so much for the reviews, keep it up!**

**Midnightfarie **


	5. Chapter 5

"Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God." I whispered, hyperventilating. "What the hell did I do?"

I was sitting on my bed, my roommate Kira watching me in disgust.

"Can you get over yourself, for like two minutes?" Kira asked snottily, and I, obviously still possessing some of my very un-me courage snapped back.

"Could you, I don't know, stop being a bitch, for like two minutes?" I retorted coldly.

Kira put a hand to her heart feigning offense.

"Wow, Ann, that really hurt." Kira said mockingly.

"Well, I wouldn't have expected it to, seeing as the whole school already knows you're a slut." The words were coming out of my mouth, and I had absolutely no control over them. My eyes widened in horror at what I had done. Everyone may know that Kira is a slut, but no one is fool enough to say it to her face, except for me, of course.

Kira stared at me for a moment, seemingly stunned, then she let out this scream that seemed kind of like war cry and she came flying through the air at me. What came next was a bunch of screaming and clawing, biting and hair pulling. After several minutes, Kira broke a nail, and the whole thing came screeching to a halt, literally screeching.

"OH MY GOD!" Kira screamed then whispered like she was saying something tabooed. "I broke a nail."

A broken nail that was still sticking out of my arm, can I say gross? It was as red as the blood trickling down around it. I had no idea that Kira was that dangerous, and I have to admit that if her nail hadn't broken, she would have won. She had had me pinned with in a minute, but I did scratch up her cheek pretty well. No matter how good her make up is, I am sure it won't cover that up.

I yanked the broke nail from the cut. I may not be as good at fighting as Kira, but at least I'm not a pansy. A broken nail never would have stopped me in a fight. I would have to watch my back from now on, though. Kira loves to cause people pain with or with out a reason, and now I've given her a reason to.

I crawled into bed, not even bothering to change into pajamas; I reached up to turn off my light when Tyler's face caught my eye. The picture frame sitting on my nightstand, it was my favorite picture of the two of us. We'd just gone to a movie and decided to go for a walk on the beach. We were goofing off and he pushed me into the water, I was fully clothed and the water was freezing. I came running out at a hundred miles an hour. As soon as Tyler saw my face, he took off running, but I had always been the runner, he was the swimmer. I caught up with him in a minute and threw my wet arms. He struggling to get away, yelping all the while, but the both of us ended up falling into the water. Once we were both in the water, it was a lot funnier and the two of us decided that it was a picture worthy moment, so we went up to a little tourist shop and bought a disposable camera. Both of us where freezing cold by the time he managed to get the package unwrapped, then throwing our arms around each other we used the whole roll up right there and this was the best of the pictures. Usually when I looked at it, it made me smile or laugh, right now, it only managed to crush my already broken heart. I grabbed the picture frame and hurled it across the room, hearing the satisfying sound of glass shattering as it slammed into the wall. I turned off my light and closed my eyes, but that couldn't stop my tears. I cried silently for hours, until sleep finally took me, and when I woke up the next morning, how I wished I hadn't fallen asleep.

Groggily I rolled out of bed, and stumbled to the bathroom, I grabbed my hairbrush and stepped in front of the mirror.

"Oh my God." I whispered in horror, my reflection was hardly recognizable. My hair, my chicly cut blond hair, was gone. Someone, and I think I can guess who, had cut it, all of it, it was almost short enough to pass for buzzed. It was prickly and uneven. My eyes welled up with tears as I ran my hand over my almost bald head. I stumbled to the toilet and dumped the contents of my stomach into it. Who did something like this? I know I called her a slut, but that didn't deserve this, she chopped of all my hair.

I stumbled from the bathroom and there she was holding my hair and smiling.

"Missing something?" She asked, I shook my head angrily.

"Who the hell does something like this?" I asked her. Stepping closer to her until our noses were practically touching.

"Me." She replied.

That's when I did it. I hulled of and slugged her, right in the face. I felt her nose crunch under my fist. Blood was poured from her nose within seconds.

"Bitch!" Kira screamed and ran to the bathroom.

I grabbed one of Tyler's baseball caps that he had forgotten over the years and slipped if over my practically baldhead and grabbing my backpack stormed from the room. I knew I wouldn't get away with the hat for long, but it helped me through the door, and that was the most important thing.

I swung my backpack over my shoulders as I hurried down the hall. It took the whole of five minutes before somebody told me I was suppose to go to the Provosts office.

"Hello, Ms. Reynolds." The Provost said seriously as I stepped into his office.

"Hello sir." I whispered.

"Ms. Snyder called me and told me that you hit her." The Provost said.

"I did." I told him.

"Ms. Reynolds!" The Provost cried out. "This behavior, from you? Why?"

I bit my lip and took of the hat. The Provost gapped in horror.

"Kira did this, last night while I was asleep." I told him.

"I see." He said, "Well, I guess we can let your behavior slide this once."

I nodded and left, what he really meant was 'don't sue the school', and we both knew it.

"You may wear a hat until it grows back out." He told me, but I shook my head.

"I'll be okay." I told him.

It wasn't until my first class that I regretted this decision. I had taken the morning to drive to a salon and get it buzzed evenly. It looked bad, but at least not as bad. I was feeling better until I stepped into class. I could see people pointing and I could hear then laughing.

"Who is that?" One person asked.

Another whispered loudly, "What the hell did she do to her hair?"

It was humiliating, but I didn't cry, I wouldn't give Kira that. This was my walk of shame. Suddenly I wasn't alone any more, some one slipped their hand into mine.

"It will be okay." He promised me.

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**AN: Who's the guy? If you would like to have a say in the matter, go to my profile and take the poll.**

**Oh, and please review!**

**Midnightfarie**


	6. Chapter 6

Numbly I followed the hand that was leading me

Numbly I followed the hand that was leading me. I'd never had an out of body experience, but if I had to call it something that would be it. I had no idea where I was going or who I was going with, I just followed. I don't really know how I got there, but next thing I knew I was in a dorm. Tyler's dorm. I'd been there a couple of times but Reid had always showed up and Tyler had hurried me out, for my own good no doubt. Now I was back again, but this time I wasn't with Tyler.

"Reid?" I asked numbly. The blond stood on the opposite side of the room from me looking nervous. His face broke into a smile when I spoke.

"Ann!" He replied. "I was worried, you wouldn't talk, and I didn't know what was wrong."

I'd never seen him look so--so normal; his expression was softer then usual, more compassionate. He wore a baggy pair of faded jeans and a t-shirt of some band I didn't recognize.

"Emotional overload, I guess." I replied sheepishly, my eyes filled with tears. I couldn't help but be embarrassed, Reid never would have cared what other people were saying about him, and here I was, crying over lost hair. I had a nervous break down because people were making fun of me, and now yet another person was going to get to see was a loser I was, not that I cared was Reid thought or anything silly like that. The tears started coming, faster and faster, next thing I knew, Reid's arms were wrapped around me and I was sobbing into his shoulder.

"It's okay." He whispered to me. "It's going to be okay."

"I've had the worst two days ever, first the kiss, and then the whole thing with Tyler, then I had a fight with and then she cut off all my hair while I was sleeping, then I broke her nose and I had to go to the Provost and then I had to go to class, and my hair's gone." I wailed. Reid started to laugh, which made me cry harder.

"Sorry, sorry," Reid amended. "I wasn't laughing at you, its just all I got of that was 'my hair's gone'."

I looked up at him with my watery blue eyes; I could feel my lip quivering.

"Oh, Ann," Reid whispered, squeezing me tighter. "It'll be okay."

"Why are you being so nice to me?" I asked, confused.

"Well, right now, because you're pretty pathetic." Reid admitted. This didn't help with the whole crying thing. "Ann, calm down, take a breath."

"You said I'm pathetic." I sobbed.

"Well, I guess what I mean is I can't help but help crying girls." Reid mumbled.

"You think I'm ugly." I whispered.

"What?"

"I'm a loser, a social reject, and now I'm not even remotely pretty." This started me crying again, I never considered my self a great beauty but I wasn't ugly, but now…

"You're not ugly." Reid jumped me. His reaction was so startling that I actually gulped.

"What?" I asked.

"You're not ugly." He said again, more gently. "You could never be ugly. You're beautiful, I -- you're beautiful."

"But…" I started to argue.

"No buts," Reid cut me off. "You're beautiful, never let anyone tell you different."

"Thank you." I whispered. Gazing up at him, he just held me close and avoided my eyes.

"Don't let them hurt you, your something special, you can't let them take that away from you. Your unique, funny, smart, sweet, and really beautiful." Reid told me. "Don't let anyone make you cry, especially Tyler, he doesn't see the you I do."

"The way you do?" I questioned, was it just me or was this turning into a heartfelt confession.

"I'm in love with you." Reid confessed.

"What?" I said in horror.

"I know its sudden, and I don't expect anything in return, I just wanted you to know, I thought that it might help, I thought you might like to know. You're my Tyler… Wait; did that sound as gay as I think it did? Its just, what I mean to say is that you beautiful, and every time I see you, you take my breath away."

"Oh my God, what the hell." I snapped, pulling away from him and getting to my feet. "Why are you telling me this, now of all times."

Reid looked up at me, crushed.

"I--I just thought." Reid started but stopped.

"Don't think." I whispered gently, "Like you said, I'm your Tyler, and just like me an Tyler, this, us, its never going to happen."

"I'm sorry… I'm sorry that my feeling so disgust you." Reid snapped. "Don't worry, you'll never hear them again."

He got to his feet and stormed from the dorm, even in his anger and the hurt I had caused him he walked away so perfectly, everything about his exit was… flawless. Then he was gone leaving me more alone then ever. My chest tighten like it was griped by a vice and I couldn't breath.

"What's wrong with me?" I asked no one in particular. I walked around the room, looking at the pictures on the walls and the books on the shelves. Suddenly overcome with exhaustion and conflicting emotions, feeling as though I was going to break to pieces, I crawled into Reid's bed, grabbed his jacket off his comforter and squeezed it to my chest to hold myself together. Slowly as the pain engulfed me and the confusion filled my mind with a haze I drifted off to sleep.


	7. Chapter 7

"Ann

"Ann?" A deep voice asked. I groaned as I forced my self to open my eyes. I had had the strangest dream, unbelievable stuff like Reid confessing his love for me and Kira chopping my hair off… wait… I reached my hand up to feel my hair, no, it wasn't a dream, I still had no hair. Then what about Reid… Did he really? I sat up abruptly and whipped my head around, yup, I was still in Reid's room, still clutching his jacket to my chest and Tyler was staring down at me in confusion. I stared at him in as much if not more confusion than his face showed.

"What are you doing here?" I asked.

"What am I doing here?" Tyler replied. "This is my dorm, what are you doing here?"

"Oh, right. I'm, uh…" I couldn't think what to say, 'oh, I'm here because your best friend just confessed his love for me'? I think not. "Just going." I finished lamely.

I slid out of Reid's bed and hurried to the door. Tyler blocked my way.

"What's going on Ann?" Tyler asked and then on a side note, "And what happened to your hair?"

"I--had a bad day. Reid came to my rescue. We came back here, and we talked, that's all." I told him. He stared into my eyes, damn that boys got gorgeous eyes! Looking away, I tried to push past him, but he's not exactly what you'd call light and I'm not exactly what you'd call big, so I didn't have much luck.

"Ann, we need to talk." Tyler said.

"About what?" I asked, actually forgetting for a moment the events of the day before.

"About… us… you know, yesterday?" Tyler said tentatively. I instantly felt a flush of embarrassment, which quickly turned to annoyance.

"I don't think there's anything else to talk about." I snapped and tried again to get past him, and again had no luck. "Now let me out."

"Ann, I don't want to lose you, I want you in my life, and I don't know if a romantic you and me will work, but if that's the only way I can have you, then that's what I want. I've thought it over, and I can't lose you. You're the best thing in my life, you're my best friend, and I'm not going to give that up over this."

"Oh my God…"


	8. Chapter 8

**Finally an update! Enjoy, because the end is gething close.**

"Oh my God!" I said again, louder than before. Then I shoved Tyler as hard as I could.

"What?" He asked, and he actually meant it, the nerve!

"What the hell is wrong with you?" I demanded.

"What?" he asked again, offended.

"You don't like me like that, but you'll date me to keep me as a friend?"

"Yeah." Tyler agreed. "That's how much I care about you, I can't lose you in my life Ann."

He reached out for me, but I jumped away.

"Tyler!" I jumped him. "No. This isn't what I wanted. I want the real thing, or nothing. I don't want you just so you can keep me as a friend."

"I don't get it." Tyler said, confused. "Yesterday, you fall apart because I don't want a relationship and today, you get mad because I'm agreeing to try it?"

I looked at me feet for a minute, realizing something for the first time.

"You're right," I consented. "I guess I don't know what I want, but I do know that I don't want something that isn't real, and you and me, it wouldn't be real."

I started cracking up, despite myself. Tyler looked at me like I was crazy.

"Ann?" He started, but I raised a hand to stop him.

"I'm fine, I'm just such an idiot." I told him. "I don't love you Tyler, I don't think I ever did."

"What?" Tyler asked, startled by the sudden change.

"I don't love you. I only thought I did." I explained. "I'm not brave Tyler, I don't take chances because I'm afraid of getting hurt. Loving you was safe, you know, because I knew you didn't feel that way for me. I could tell myself I was in love with you, and I was safe, because it was safe, controlled, something that would never happen. There would never be the chance of me wading into something deeper then I could control. If I never gave my heart away it couldn't be broken, but maybe it might be worth the risk."

"Was that supposed to make sense?" Tyler asked.

"Only to me." I replied, "Tyler, please let me go, I need to go take a risk."

"What?" He asked as he stepped out of my way, but I didn't answer him, I was already out the door and half way down the hall. Then I stopped, realizing that I had no idea where to go, so I ran back to Tyler's dorm.

"Where's Reid?" I demanded.

"Nicky's, I think. What…" Tyler started, but again I was off. "Ann, what are you doing?" I heard him call after me.

"Losing control!" I replied.

**AN: Please Review!**


	9. Chapter 9

**Last Chapter!! I'm sorry it's taken so long, I just started college and I'm constantly swamped :P I hope this makes up for it.**

I ran into Nicky's, quickly scanning the area for Reid, but he was nowhere in sight

I ran into Nicky's, quickly scanning the area for Reid, but he was nowhere in sight. Stepping out the back door heading to the parking lot, I found myself face to face with Aaron Abbot.

"Nice hair." He said, snickering. I felt my cheeks burning with embarrassment, and then I felt something else. Anger. I was angry. Angry for all the years of being ignored by my fellow classmates, angry for feeling invisible, and most of all angry for letting it happen.

"No more." I said. Aaron looked at me and burst into laughter.

"No more what?" He asked.

"No more putting up with assholes like you. No more falling prey to snotty bitches. No more being afraid to be myself because I might not measure up to other peoples expectations. And most of all, no more holding back!" With that I slammed my fist into his pretty nose.

"Oh… Ow, ow, aw!" I yelped, shaking my hand, I hadn't expected it to hurt so badly.

"Bitch!" Aaron growled, holding his bleeding nose. "Oh, you're gonna regret that!"

He shoved me against a wall, firmly holding me there. I struggled to get free of his grip, but he was way stronger than me.

"Let go of her!" Somebody yelled and suddenly Reid tackled Aaron to the ground. Reid slammed his fists into Aaron's face several times. "And stay the hell away from her."

With one final punch, Reid got to his feet. He walked over to me and gently caressed my shoulder with his hand, then pulled away awkwardly.

"You okay?" He asked staring at his feet. It was strange to see him feeling so awkward. He was always so confident. I bit my lip in shame, knowing it was because of me.

"Yeah, thanks." I muttered, my courage suddenly gone. He glanced up into my eyes and looked away quickly.

"So I guess I'll see you later…" He mumbled and started to walk away. My heart was screaming at me, my throat tight unwilling to let the words slip through my lip.

"Wait!" I called after him. He stopped and looked back at me. I opened my mouth and tried to speak, but the words wouldn't come.

"What?" He asked.

"I- I just… I want to leap, I want to so badly… I'm just afraid to fall." I whispering, the words hardly even making sense to me.

"What?" Reid asked in confusion.

"I think I'm ready to fall for you… I just want to know you'll catch me if I do." I whispered. Comprehension dawning, Reid smirked. With two large steps he closed the distance between us.

"Well then…" He whispered, wrapping his arms around my waist. "Start jumping."

With that, he kissed me and took my breath away. It was one of those moments that you read about when time seems to stop. It was perfect, he was perfect, and he was mine. I didn't need anyone else as long as I had him.

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**The End**

**midnightfarie**

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